Barbequing has become a popular and pervasive tradition in much of the world. A barbeque grill is a device for cooking food by applying heat directly below a grill. There are several varieties of grills but most fall into one of two categories, either gas fueled or charcoal. Gas fueled grills typically use propane or natural gas as a fuel source, with the gas flame either cooking the food directly or heating grilling elements which in turn radiate the heat necessary to cook the food. Grilling has become a popular method of cooking food due to the unique flavors and texture imparted to the food during the grilling process.
A griddle is a cooking device consisting of a broad flat surface that can be heated using a variety of means and is used in both residential and commercial applications for a variety of cooking operations. The griddle is most commonly a flat metal plate composed of cast or wrought iron, aluminum or carbon steel. Griddles are commonly heated directly or indirectly by open flame or electrical elements. Using a griddle placed directly on a barbeque grill or over flame burners has also become popular when cooking foods not as well suited for cooking directly on a grill over an open flame.
One problem with using a griddle directly on a grill or over flame burners is the control of the temperature of the griddle cooking surface when it is desired to only use a portion of the surface or when it is desired to have certain portions of the cooking surface a higher temperature than other portions. Another problem with using a griddle over flame burners is the convective heat from the flames moves around the entire periphery of the griddle, often times making it difficult to cook effectively or even somewhat dangerous if children are present due to the heat bellowing around the front of the griddle.